Coronavirus: What are the new nursing home measures?

Rising concern over impact disease is having on nursing homes across country

There will be a per-head coronavirus payment of up to €800 a patient a month for each person in a nursing home. File photograph: Getty

Minister for Health Simon Harris has announced a multi million package of temporary assistance payments to support nursing homes affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking at a Department of Health conference, Mr Harris said there is rising concern about the impact the disease is having in nursing homes with 40 clusters identified – the majority in the east of the country.

In a bid to tackle the outbreak in nursing homes a raft of new measures have been introduced.

The measures include:

There will be a per head payment of up to €800 a patient a month for each person in a nursing home.

In addition any nursing home that has an outbreak of coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, will be able to apply for financial assistance of up to €75,000 a month for the months of April, May and June.